Hood Takes Two From Lions

ASTON, Pa. -- Hood College claimed both ends of a non-conference baseball doubleheader against Penn State Brandywine, winning by scores of 7-0 and 11-5 on Sunday afternoon at Maple Zone.

Brandywine mustered just four hits, all singles, offensively in game one against a pair of Blazer pitchers. Anthony Polanco (Long Island, N.Y./West Babylon) produced half of the Lions' hits.

Hood struck for two runs in the first inning before tacking on three more in the fourth. The Blazers plated single runs in the fifth and sixth frames to round out the scoring.

Two Brandywine pitchers combined to surrender just six hits, but were undone by 12 walks and three hit batters. Tyler Michaels (Aston, Pa./Sun Valley) did not allow a hit in three-plus innings on the mound, but issued eight bases on balls en route to giving up three earned runs. He also struck out four. In 4.0 innings of relief, Chris Skahill (Media, Pa./Penncrest) fanned a career-best nine hitters, while allowing three earned runs on four hits and four walks.

The Blazers struck for four runs on three hits during the first inning of game two, but Brandywine immediately answered with three scores during the bottom of the frame. Robert Spitaletta (Glen Ridge, N.J./Glen Ridge) doubled to lead off and moved to third on Brett Sheeran's (Springfield, Pa./Springfield) base hit before scoring on a single from Matt Masi (West Chester, Pa./Cardinal O'Hara). Four batters later, Will Scott-Norris (Wilmington, Del./Mt. Pleasant) delivered a two-out, bases-loaded single to left field, plating two more runs for the Lions.

Two innings later, Brandywine tied the score at 4-4 when Masi walked, stole second and came around to score on Brendan Ricciardi's (Media, Pa./Strath Haven) two-out base hit.

Hood went back in front in the fifth inning when Brad Sawyer's triple scored two runs, but Brandywine got one run back during the bottom of the frame as Masi crossed home via a sacrifice fly by Brian Reynolds (Newtown Square, Pa./Marple Newtown).

The Blazers added an insurance run in the sixth before putting the game away with a four-run seventh inning.

Masi went 3-for-3 at the plate and reached base four times, scoring three runs, while Spitaletta produced a hit in each game to lead the Brandywine offense. Kevin Sessa (Broomall, Pa./Cardinal O'Hara) took the loss on the mound after allowing nine earned runs on 10 hits in 6.2 innings.

Brandywine (2-2) will head to Florida next week for its annual Spring Break trip. The Lions open the RussMatt Invitational on Saturday with two games against Martin Luther College (Minn.) in Auburndale, Fla., beginning at 1:15 pm.